| Graduation Year | Class of 1972 |
| Date of Passing | May 12, 2021 |
| About | It is with great sadness that Steve's brothers and sister announce his passing on May 12, 2021. Born November 1952 in Benkelman, Nebraska, to Lowell and Indiana Wood, Steve was raised in Fairbanks with his brothers: Lew, Danny (Kim), Randy and Phil (Rachel) along with sister Shawn (Alan) Head. His early career started at Paint Pot for George and Myra Lesko where he worked a number of years. His career since the late 70s was working alongside and under his dad's guidance as a furnace repairman through Sourdough Fuel. When his dad passed away, Steve was a hot commodity and sought after by customers to be their repairman of choice. He climbed in rank at work and was the repair supervisor of the furnace technicians until a massive stroke caused him to retire. As a youth and young man he played baseball, raced snowmachines and was part of the pit crew to the family's stock car. In 1964, at 11 years old, Steve's name was drawn to go on a bison hunt in Delta. He got his bison and the horns were mounted for him to proudly display. As a side note to this, his cousin Fayrene Barnett had won the title of Miss Golden Heart City that year and was asked to draw the names for the bison hunt. She was thrilled to be the one to draw and announce his name. This was the beginning of a long hunting career for Steve. Rumors are true that he resuscitated a young beaver that got caught in one of his traps. That young beaver was named "Little Stevie." Steve was a natural at hunting (one time spending a month alone in the Nabesna mountains to be close to Dall sheep), fishing and even learned to trap and skin animals. He was our very own "Grizzly Adams" in the Wood family, and we were sure to tease him often about it. He would put his fingers in moose tracks and after a short hesitation would say (with a twinkle in his eyes), "two, maybe three days". He was our Kook! He would imitate some of his favorite singers in his teens like Englebert Humperdinck and Tom Jones. He possessed a "cool factor" to pull it off, but not without some teasing from his family. The Wood family has a cabin on the Goodpaster River where Steve helped build the cabins and useful out buildings. He spent a great deal of time there over the years wanting to support his parent's dreams. He especially liked his extended stays alone to be filled with nature and peace, and later with his grandchildren. During hunting season he often shared that time with his brother, Danny, who was his lifelong friend, along with several others he invited along. To say once you knew him was to love him is an understatement. Steve loved to tease and you could see that twinkle in his eyes when he was thinking along those lines. Many friends got the pleasure of enjoying this character trait. Picking on Steve always brought him laughter and a smile. Those are the times he knew he was loved ... so rest assure, he was loved a lot by his siblings. Danny was Steve's best friend; Lew, Randy and Phil were his band of brothers who shared his life and special times growing up, and Shawn will always be proudly known as his "ugly sister." Steve married Marguerite in 1986 at the Goodpaster cabin, and he later adopted Marguerite's daughter, Sarah. Steve was preceded in death by his parents, sister-in-law Wanda, nephew Collin and an unborn niece. Besides his siblings, Steve leaves behind his wife, Marguerite; daughter Sarah (Justin); and grandchildren Genny-Ann, Riley, Isaac, Kayla, Ryan and Jacoby; along with nieces and nephews, Lynsie, Lori, Brynn, Brett, Brian, Charlene, Chipper, Bridget, Jared and Austin. Condolences may be sent to his siblings through Lew Wood, PO Box 61091, Fairbanks, AK, 99706. Published by Daily News-Miner on May 27, 2021. |
